Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has been dealing with hamstring issues during his second NFL season. Heading into this season, a lot of people thought he was going to be the top wide receiver option for this football team, but it has turned out to be the complete opposite.
Watson did not participate during Wednesday’s walkthrough and also missed practice on Thursday. If he misses Sunday’s action against the Minnesota Vikings (7-8), this will be the seventh game he misses this season. Christian Watson when available this season has caught 28 passes for 422 yards receiving and five touchdowns, along with averaging 15.1 yards per catch.
He has been targeted 53 times this season. Watson has been used very little in the ground game with 11 yards rushing on four carries and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 2.8 yards per carry. Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks appear to be the top three wide receivers on the roster moving forward and they all have more receiving yards this season than Christian Watson.
There aren’t enough footballs to go around. They also have Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave at tight end, who have also become very reliable in the passing game for quarterback Jordan Love. Love has had his worst passing ratings this season when targeting Christian Watson. Should Green Bay move off of him this offseason and if so, which teams should make a call?
The Indianapolis Colts Wanted Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver Christian Watson In a Jonathan Taylor deal earlier this season
One of the things that circulated earlier this season was when Watson’s name was mentioned in trade talks for running back Jonathan Taylor. Taylor is off the market for Indianapolis, but Watson would be a huge addition for the Colts receiver room. They need some help in that department and really don’t have a household name in that category.
Anthony Richardson will be returning next year in his second season and needs someone to develop chemistry with for the long haul. Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. are nice targets for them, but there is a reason why the Colts need Christian Watson.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots don’t have a dynamic wide receiver room, but Christian Watson would be the most talented wide receiver in the room in a hurry. They don’t draft and develop wide receivers well. New England needs some dynamic athletes to compete in a very tough AFC East.
The only question would be who is throwing the football to him in 2024? They may move off of Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe and draft somebody else. New England has Juju Smith-Schuster and Devante Parker on the roster and Watson has more upside than the both of them.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs led the league in drops this season. Kadarius Toney and former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling have not helped out quarterback Patrick Mahomes at all this season. Only tight end Travis Kelce and rookie wide receiver Rasheed Rice have been good.
Christian Watson with Patrick Mahomes would be an interesting combination. There would be ups and downs for sure with that one. Kansas City needs a wide receiver badly, but Watson isn’t a surefire thing for a team that needs a solidified wide receiver.
Watson is only 24 years old and was a second-round selection (34th overall selection) in the 2022 NFL Draft out of North Dakota State. The Green Bay Packers have a loaded wide receiver room and they have to decide if he fits into their future plans or not. If not, then general manager Brian Gutekunst may ask for a second-round pick in return for him. They can forget getting a first-round pick back for him.
